Door-latch



K. S. BAXTER. DooR LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.V I8, I92 0.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

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errirs w .rima o KENNETH S. BAXTER, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA, ASS-IGNOR 'I SHEET STEEL PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATIDN 0F INDIANA.

DOOR-LATCH.

Application filed March 18, 1920.

which are illustrated in the accompanymg\ drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to latches especially adapted for use on vehicle doors, and in-.

tended primarily to be applied to the doors of auto truck cabs. Truck cab doors are usually loosely fitted in their casings for the reason that the distortion 0r weaving of thel calo, due to uneven roads or other causes, tends to make the door bind at times if closely fitted. Such distortion also results in a variable spacing of the latch casing from the door casing, and it therefore becomes necessary to employ a longer latching bolt than will serve in other situations. It is also desirable that the latching bolt be so formed that it will tend to draw the door closely shut.

The object of the present invention is to provide a latch which will meet these various conditions and have other advantages, as hereinafter pointed out; and it consists in a structure such as is hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a detail elevation of the side wall and door of a truck cab with the latch applied;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the door, the jamb being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;V

Figs. a, 5 and 6 are sectional views on the iwnes, respectively, iL- 4, 5 5 and 6-6 of yThe invention is shown in connection with a cab and its door formed of sheet metal, though it may be employed where such structure is of wood.

A portion of the door casing or jamb is shown at 10, and of the` door at 11, the door being provided with a marginal flange 12 adapted to overlap the casing 10.

The latch comprises a casing 13, adapted to be secured to the inner face of the door 11, as by means of screws. There is housed within the casing 13 a reciprocating bolt 14,

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 111, 1920.

Serial No. 366,781.

the end of which projects through a suitable aperture in the end of this casing, and to engage back of the inner face of the door j amb when the door is closed. rThe bolt 14 is normally held in advanced position by means of a spring, as 15, and is withdrawn by means of crank-arm 16, engageable in a suitable pocket or recess in the body of the bolt and carried by a spindle 17 journaled in the casing 13 and extending through the outer face of the door,vsuitable handles, as 13, 19, being fixed upon the opposite ends ofthe spindle. rIhe face of the nose of the bolt 14 which is adapted to en,- gage the inner face of the door jamb is beveled, as shown at 20, thereby providing a cam action on the jamb as the bolt is projected by the spring 15 for drawing the flange 12 snugly against the cuter face of the jamb.

A detent 21, shown as taking the form of a bolt, is adapted to engage a forwardly projecting shoulder 22 carried by the bolt while the latter is completely retracted. In the construction as shown the shoulder 22 is the end of a Hangs 23 projecting laterally from the bolt 14, and which, when the detent 21 is withdrawn, slides within a lateral recess 211 in this detent, The detent 21 is slidingly mounted in a bracket 25, which may be riveted to a wall of the casing 13. A spring 26, coiled about the detent 21, reacts between a shoulder 27 of the bracket 25 and a pin 28 set through the detent, and tends to withdraw the detent to bring its lateral recess 24 out of line with the flange 23, thereby bringing a solid portion of the detent in line with the shoulder 22. By this arrangement the bolt 111 is held in retracted position so long as the door remains open.

A trip 29 is pivoted within the casing 13, and, as shown, to the bracket 25, one end of this trip bearing against the outer end of the detent 21 and its other end 30 projecting through the front edge of the door 10 within the flange 12. Upon the closing of the door the end 30 of the trip engages the door jamlo and is forced into the position shown in Fig. 5, its inner end moving the detent 21 in opposition to the spring 26, bringing its recess 24 into alinement with the ange 23 and permitting the bolt 14C to be projected by the spring 15.

While a practical and eflicient form of construction is herein shown and described, I do not limit myself to this particular form, but claim as my inventioni Y l. ln a door latch, in combination, a spring-advanced reciprocable bolt having the back face or" its nose beveled to engage a keeper for forcing the door to fully closed position by a cam action as the bolt is advanced by its spring, means for holding the bolt -in withdrawn position, and means actuated by contact with the door j amb as the door is `closed for releasing the holding means.

2. rlhe combination with a swinging door and the door jamb of a spring advanced bolt normally projecting beyond the free edge oi the door within the plane 0f the outer :tace of the door, means for retracting the bolt, means for holding the bolt in retracted position and means actuated by contact with the outer face of the door jamb after the bolt has passed beyond the plane of the same for releasing the said holding means when the door is closed.

3. The combination with a swinging door and the door jamb of a spring advanced 1bolt normally projecting beyond the freeV edge of the door within the plane of the inner face of the door and having the back face of its nose beveled to engage the inner face of the door j amb for forcing the door to fully closed position by a cam action as the bolt is advanced by its spring, means for retracting the bolt, means for holding the bolt in retracted position and means actuated by contact with the outer face of the door j amb after the bolt has passed beyond the plane of the same for releasing the said holding means when the door is closed.

4. lThe combination with a swinging door and the door jamb of a flange `projecting from the free edge of the door in substantially the plane of the outer face of the door and overlapping the door jamb upon the outside of the same, a spring advanced bolt normally projecting from the free edge of the door for engagement with the door jamb upon the inside of the same, means for retracting thebolt, means for holding the bolt inretracted position and means comprising a detent located under the said flange actuated by contact with the door jamb upon the outside oi the same for releasing the said holding means when the door is closed.

5. The combination with a swinging door and the door jamb of a spring advanced bolt normally projecting from the free edge of the door Jor engagement with the door jamb upon the inside of the same, means for retracting the bolt, means for holding the bolt in retracted position and means actuated by contact with the door jamb upon the outside of the same for releasing the said holding means when the door is closed.

6.- The combination with a swinging door and the door jamb of a spring advanced bolt normally projecting 'from the free edge of the door and having the back face of its nose beveled for forcing the door to fully closed position by cam engagement with the door jamb upon the inside of the same as the bolt is advanced by its spring, means for retracting the bolt, means for holding the bolt in retracted position and means actuated by contact with the door j amb upon the outside of the same for releasing the said holding means when the door is closed.

KENNETH S. BAXTER. 

